My aunt has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, I have never heard of that, what is it?
Multiple Myeloma is a disease of the bone marrow and is a form of blood cancer in a particular cell line called a plasma cell. Multiple Myeloma causes these cells to be produced out of control. While it is not a curable disease, it does have good treatment to decrease the bone destruction, which is one of the problems with this form of blood cancer.
To learn more about palliative care, watch this video from VideoMD.com.
Expert: Nebraska Medical Center
Palliative Care
by Dean Heller MD April 7th, 2011 | Ask the Doctor
My mother is 85 and has dementia, she also has pain from arthritis. I want her to be out of pain, but I don't want to be too aggressive with her treatment. What are my choices?
Certainly quality of life for your mother is most important, and being out of pain is an important part of this. There is a branch of medicine called palliative care that helps with these type of patients exactly. The goal of this care is to help improve the patient's quality of life but consider the appropriate amount of care given. Try and find a
Read More
Certainly quality of life for your mother is most important, and being out of pain is an important part of this. There is a branch of medicine called palliative care that helps with these type of patients exactly. The goal of this care is to help improve the patient's quality of life but consider the appropriate amount of care given. Try and find a
Pectus Excavatum
by Dean Heller MD March 31st, 2011 | Ask the Doctor
I am 16 and the middle of my chest is "caved in". Not only do kids make fun of me, but I also have shortness of breath, what can I do?
The condition that you have is called Pectus Excavatum, and it is exactly as you describe, when the chest is "caved in". In addition to causing anxiety, especially when the patient has to take off their clothes in front of another person, it can cause shortness of breath. Luckily there is a minimally invasive surgery that can fix this problem, it is called the Nuss Procedure.
To learn more about
Read More
The condition that you have is called Pectus Excavatum, and it is exactly as you describe, when the chest is "caved in". In addition to causing anxiety, especially when the patient has to take off their clothes in front of another person, it can cause shortness of breath. Luckily there is a minimally invasive surgery that can fix this problem, it is called the Nuss Procedure.
To learn more about
Fat Embolism
by Dean Heller MD March 23rd, 2011 | Ask the Doctor
My brother was in a car accident and luckily survived with only a few broken bones. However, in the hospital, after surgery he developed what doctors called a Fat Embolism. This required him to be in the ICU for a week. I never heard of this, what is it?
Fat embolism occurs in patients that have a broken bone. It is more common with more traumatic injuries, especially when there is multiple organ trauma. It is also more common with broken legs-femur bone. Fixing the broken bone early can help prevent this complication, which causes shortness of breath, and breathing
Read More
Fat embolism occurs in patients that have a broken bone. It is more common with more traumatic injuries, especially when there is multiple organ trauma. It is also more common with broken legs-femur bone. Fixing the broken bone early can help prevent this complication, which causes shortness of breath, and breathing
Age Spots?
by Dean Heller MD March 16th, 2011 | Ask the Doctor
I turned 70, and I am starting to get too many of the brown spots that so many older people get. They are on my arms and I hate the way they look. Is it easy to get rid of those?
These are very common as you get older. Some people have sun damage that causes more diffuse browning of the skin, while others have isolated brown spots, which are frequently seborrheic keratosis. These are very slightly raised, skin colored, or brownish spots.  Both can be treated in a number of different ways. A good way to treat these quickly
Read More
These are very common as you get older. Some people have sun damage that causes more diffuse browning of the skin, while others have isolated brown spots, which are frequently seborrheic keratosis. These are very slightly raised, skin colored, or brownish spots.  Both can be treated in a number of different ways. A good way to treat these quickly